Writing a blog post can be very rewarding, but it can also be time-consuming and daunting if you’re not sure how to go about writing one that will keep readers engaged. These 7 tips for writing a great blog post will help you get started on your next blog piece, whether it’s informational, personal, or promotional in nature. The tips below are designed to help you develop new blogging skills, grow your current audience, and make more money from blogging overall.
KEYWORDS
When writing your post, think about what keywords and key phrases people might use to find your post in search engines. Then include those terms. Every time someone searches Google using one of these terms, they will see your page in their results. Make sure you’re using SEO-friendly language, too: make sure each sentence is between 15 and 25 words long (Google’s sweet spot), and focus on providing value to your readers.
TITLE
Keep your title clear and easy to understand. Use important keywords or key phrases to help your website show up in search results. Make sure that you are targeting keywords on a page-by-page basis; that way you get better visibility within search results. Stay concise: Use crisp, clear language in your posts so people can understand them without spending time decoding them.
CREATE AN OUTLINE
One of the most important things to consider when writing is outlining. It will help you organize your thoughts and keep you on track. It’s easier to write an entire piece if you know where you’re going beforehand. So create an outline using whatever method works best for you, whether it be bullet points or mind mapping. Just make sure it’s comprehensive enough that when you begin writing, you don’t feel lost or unsure about what direction to take in each section.
BEST BLOG POST LENGTH
Depending on your goals, you’ll likely have different word-count guidelines to follow. While most posts fit somewhere between 500 and 1,500 words. Set your own benchmarks by keeping in mind what makes sense for readers based on the topic. If you find yourself consistently writing longer pieces, consider breaking your articles into smaller articles.
WRITE A GOOD FIRST SENTENCE
A good first sentence can hook readers and get them excited about reading your article. To start off your post, set a scene or grab attention with an interesting quote. If your blog post will educate them on something, explain to them the importance of learning about what you’ll be writing about. Keep it simple; make sure that it’s relevant to your content and fits in with your topic.
BONUS TIP: It’s also a good idea to include your keyword, key phrase, or title in your first paragraph.
FIND IMAGES THAT ENHANCE YOUR TOPIC
Images can add visual interest to your post and help you share more information in less space. Before inserting an image into your post, ask yourself if it enhances your topic. Does it increase understanding? Is it too obvious or redundant? Images should complement your text, not overshadow it. Always use images responsibly: pay attention to copyrights and don’t just use any image you find online.
If you’re looking for great stock photos to use, there are over 3 million incredible stock photos available on Wordsmith. It’s been my go-to every time!
BONUS TIP: Edit the alt tag and description for each image used in the blog post.
PREVIEW YOUR WORK BEFORE PUBLISHING
After you’ve written your first draft, give it an hour or two, and then come back to read it. Read it like someone who knows nothing about your niche would; put yourself in their shoes. As you scan through what you’ve written, ask yourself how you feel about it: Is there anything that doesn’t make sense? Anything you wouldn’t click on if it was shared on social media? Anything you skimmed over quickly because of confusing language? Fix these problems and preview again. Rinse and repeat until satisfied with the end result.
PUBLISH AND SHARE
Once you’ve got your post, publish it! Social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram make it easy to send out posts that people will see. If you use a social media management site, you can even schedule your posts in advance to ensure they go out at optimal times.
SEND OUT A NEWSLETTER
If you have a newsletter, be sure to send it to your readers. Not only will you serve them great content, but you’ll also get them to come visit your site, which is great for traffic.
Blogging is one of my favorite ways to create evergreen content and serve great content that brings people to my site. The best thing about blogging is that if it’s done right, you’ll boost your overall site traffic long-term and connect with more ideal customers and clients who are looking for exactly what you have to offer.
Unlike social media, blogging and SEO is something you can continue to build upon and truly count on. People will always use search engines to find what they are looking for online. Although we can’t control the rules and algorithms on social media, we can blog consistently and start getting long-term traffic from our efforts.
BONUS TIP: Grab a notebook or open a file on your computer where you can add blog post ideas that you might want to write in the future. I have a list of about 60+ articles I’d love to create over time. When I’m ready to write for my blog, I simply open that file, pick a topic, and get to writing. Having a long list of ideas to pick from makes it easy for me to add new content consistently.
